China Dolls Can Fall and Break
by alisma7
Summary: Just a little Wemma lovin'...because I feel like Emma is such and underrated character. Wemma, Quinn/Emma friendship, entire Glee Club/Emma friendship...and a whole lot more :D
1. China Dolls Can Fall and Break

Emma looked up, roused from her methodical hand-cleaning by a knock at the door. Smiling, she waved her hand, an indication for entry. Quinn came in, tears trickling down her face. "Quinn, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Emma asked softly, toying with placing her hand on the girl's shoulder.

Quinn sniffled, looking up. "It's just…Beth." The tears began to fall more freely from her speckled blue-green eyes, stabbing Emma's heart with a desire to help her.

"Your baby?"

Gasping, Quinn replied, "Yes! I don't…I know that Shelby is a good person and all, but I don…I wish, maybe, that I'd kept her."

Taking the plunge, Emma placed her hand on Quinn's back. "Has something…has something happened? I mean, what have you done to try to get over this?"

Giggling, although it sounded more like a sob, she said thoughtfully, "Self-medicating, you mean? Well, it's not exactly a secret that I have sporadically drunk…but no pills or anything." Her voice took a serious turn, and she said softly, "I've been cutting quite a bit though."

Pulling her own sleeves down a bit, Emma said softly, her eyes wide, "What can I do to help?"

"You're already doing it. Listening and all." She eyed Emma's sleeve. "Why did you just pull down your sleeve?"

Gulping, Emma replied, "That's…don't concern yourself with that."

"You brought me vitamins when I was pregnant, you made sure that I had a place to stay. You gave me your home and cell numbers in case I needed anything. The least I can do is try to help you if you need it." She reached gently for Emma's sleeve, teasing it up. What she saw horrified her and was hauntingly familiar.

Tears welling in the depths of her eyes, Emma said softly, "I've…I was raped, Quinn. I know…I know it seems p-pathetic. I'm the guidance counselor, for G-god's sake, but still, I just…somehow it made it better."

"Are you pregnant?" Quinn's question tore through her heart like barbed wire, squeezing and then suddenly slicing.

Emma gasped. "I don't…it's too soon in the month…you know…" She trailed off, knowing that Quinn would understand.

Coming over to hug Emma, Quinn asked softly, "Did you tell Mr. Schue?"

"No…n-n-no…I wouldn't know h-how."

Looking her straight in the eyes, bluish-green orbs boring into honey-brown ones, Quinn asked, "Do you want me to?"

Gasping on what may well have been a laugh, if out of fear more than amusement, Emma replied, "N-no, Quinn. That's something that I…I h-have to do."

"If you don't tell Schue by Friday, then I will tell him for you." Quinn had a smile on her face, and Emma could tell that she had made it through the sarcasm and insincerity of her generation and class to say something real.

Managing a smile back, she replied, "Sounds fair to me." The blonde teenager came around, wrapping her arms around Emma. The redhead was shocked, for a moment, but found it lovely to melt into the embrace.


	2. There Was A Time When Love Was Blind

_Emma heard a knock at the door, and upon opening it, found a sobbing Quinn Fabray tumbling into her office. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" she asked sincerely. She took out her tissue box, fully ready to have to go out and buy another after school. These tears didn't seem to have an end in sight._

"_I'm…oh my God, I-I'm pregnant, Ms. P." Quinn's voice was laced through and through with pain and shame, and although Emma couldn't condone teenage sex, she couldn't bear to see any student hurting as much as Quinn clearly was._

_Swallowing, Emma asked quietly, "Do your parents know?"_

_Choking loudly on her sob, Quinn cried, "I t-t-told them the other n-night…my d-dad told me g-get out. S-s-so I went to P-Puck's house, and I w-was staying t-there, but…h-he…I c-c-couldn't stay there!"_

_Trying to get a better sense of what was going on, she asked in what she hoped was a gentle way instead of a prying one, "Why Puck?"_

_Gasping, Quinn replied, "H-h-he's the f-father."_

"_Does Finn know?" As a person who tried to avoid confrontation, she wasn't sure that she wanted three screaming teenagers in her office…throwing things. There might be blood, after all._

_Her voice softening from its previous hardness, Quinn replied, "Yeah. I told him today. He was…he won't t-talk to me or anything. It's sad," she said softly, "I used to be the head of the Celibacy Club and now I'm a pregnant sixteen year old without a place to stay."_

_Her eyes wide with shock, wider than Quinn had ever seen them, Emma said softly, "Are any of the cheerleaders willing to take you in?"_

_Snorting, the teenager replied, "They'll be glad to have me gone, and honestly, I don't blame them."_

_Racking her brain for possibilities, Emma asked, "What about glee club? Anyone there who might take you in?"_

"_I haven't exactly gotten on the right foot with them. And my boyfriend and the father of my child are both in that club. I'm probably not even welcome over there."_

_Emma smiled, hoping that the gesture wouldn't be wasted. "I can make something happen, I'm sure."_

_Quinn thanked her graciously, stood and left with her eyes reddened just a becoming amount, some of the life back in her eyes._

_Emma had stood outside of the choir room, her back pressed flush against the wall. First, she was thinking of Will, plain and simple. But then the music came overwhelmingly, swelling and filling the air around her. She wasn't going to lie, she loved music. And she loved that she had picked this song out. For New Directions. For Quinn._

_Strains of "Keep Holding On" came through the cracks between the door and wall, but seemed to liquefy the glass panel and pulse through that as well. The glee clubs sounded beautiful, and it made Emma smile even wider to hear the interruptive promises to stand by Quinn, no matter what. She had faith in these kids, that they would._

_Quinn walked out, smiling, with Mercedes at her back. "I-I-I…thank you, Ms. Pillsbury. You h-have no idea how much it means to me…you'd go to all of the trouble…thank you!" She threw her arms around Emma's, a tear falling from her nose into Emma's sweater._

_Beaming, Emma replied simply, "See? I told you that you'd have a place to stay."_

_Emma hadn't seen Quinn in her office, in hysterics, until her bump was finally showing and it was obvious to any passer-by that she was pregnant. This time she came in, more terrified than angry and more desperate than terrified. "Ms. P," she asked quietly, pitifully, "I need some help. Again."_

"_Of course, sweetheart! What do you need?" Emma asked earnestly, wiping the same circle on her desk with cleaning spray and a tissue._

_Trying to find words, Quinn replied meekly, "I was at the doctor, and he said that the baby was at risk of developing health problems because of a lack of nutrients, and that I hadn't been gaining weight like I should be. He gave me a list of vitamins and stuff, but…without my parents supporting me, I don't have any money or anything. Puck gave me fifty bucks, but that's not enough, at all. Plus the stupid maternity clothes…"_

_Emma immediately understood the direness of the situation. "Sweetie, calm down. You shouldn't be wearing a sundress to cover your stomach two weeks before Christmas. There's snow on the ground, for God's sake. If you'd like, I'll take you to get whatever it is that you need."_

_Blushing, Quinn whispered, "You know, this is actually a really, really humbling experience. Thank you so much, Ms. P. It means a lot."_

_Quinn slid into the front passenger's seat of Emma's small black car. It was clean, which wasn't a shocker, and smelled pleasantly of rain. "Don't tell me you left the sunroof open while it rained!" she chided, amused._

_Nodding, Emma said, "I did. But I like the smell, so I decided not to disinfect it all away. It's water anyway, the purest stuff I could be using."_

"_Me too. Well, the smell of the rain, not the use of disinfectants."_

_Turning to face her young passenger, Emma asked quietly, "Quinn, tell me whatever it is that you need. Food, vitamins, maternity clothes, baby things, anything. Just say the word and I'll find a way to make it happen."_

_Furrowing her brow, Quinn answered honestly, "Well, Mercedes has been giving me money for lunch every day…it's really sweet, and you have no idea how grateful I am, but three dollars can only get me a cheeseburger and some fries. I split a juice or something with whoever offers."_

"_First things first, then, lay off the fatty stuff. You're baby will thank you."_

_Quinn continued racking her brain. "The prenatal vitamins…I'm supposed to be taking a prenatal vitamin every day, plus a high-dose of multivitamins, and Rachel's been helping me out with the multivitamins, but the prenatal ones are too expensive." _

_She paused, to catch her breath, watching the thunderclouds roll in. Maybe it would snow again. "As far as maternity clothes go, I am – was – a cheerleader, which was kind of all about 'the tighter, the better.' I have a couple of pairs of yoga pants, the really stretchy kind, and those legging jeans, but for shirts…well, you've seen me."_

_Emma smoothed Quinn's sundress. "I can get you the vitamins, Quinn, and I'll get you whatever loose-fitting shirts you need. What about baby things? I'm sure that if you don't even have food, you can't have a crib or anything."_

"_We're…I'm giving the baby up for adoption. Puck was really pissed about that – he wants to be a better dad than his dad was – but we just can't take care of the baby. Adoption is our only option, pardon the pun."_

"_That's a really mature decision you made," Emma said honestly, touching Quinn's hand in a gesture of comfort. _

_Placing the paper gift bag of vitamins and maternity tops that she hoped Quinn would like on her desk, Emma waited until the announcements finished before calling Quinn down to her office. "Hey there, Sweetie!" she said happily, giving Quinn the bag and watching her face explode into unadulterated gratitude._

"_Thank you so much, Ms. P! You have no idea what this means to me, really. You've really shown me what being a mother is all about."_

_Shocked at the unexpected praise, Emma asked tentatively, "I did?"_

_Nodding, Quinn assured her. "You've shown me the devotion and love that any mother would and should show to her kids. It means a lot to me." She paused, watching Emma's eyes widen in delight. "I've been eating healthier, too. Just some orange juice and salads and stuff. Trying to be healthy for the baby."_

"_I'm so glad that I could make a difference, Quinn, I really am. It's every teacher's dream, I think. To change a student's life like this."_

_Standing, Quinn said slowly, "I don't know how to thank you."_

_Smiling gracefully, Emma replied, "You don't have to."_


	3. I Would Fall Into His Arms Now

Emma knocked on Will's door after Glee club, lifting her heels rhythmically out of her high-heeled pumps. Will opened the door, smiling to see her. She floated through the door, sitting behind the piano. Stretching her fingers over the keys, she played an airy melody, something akin to I Dreamed a Dream, but not quite.

"Em, I'm sure you aren't here just to play the piano. You have a really nice one at home. So what's on your mind, Babyluv?" He moved closer to her, watching as a blush came over her pale cheeks. A flicker of something, perhaps delight, passed over her face in a heartbeat, at the use of his name for her.

Still pressing elegantly on the keys, her fingers full of light and grace, Emma whispered, "I-I-I…something h-happened."

Lifting Emma gently from her seat, Will held her, pressing her face into his jacket. "What happened, lovey?"

Gasping for air at the start of her sobbing, Emma replied, the terror and hurt dripping from every word she spoke, "I-I was r-r-raped t-the other n-night."

Will bounded behind the piano, tightly wrapping his arms around Emma's narrow shoulders. She didn't feel any twinge of guilt or shock at her willingness to melt into his strong embrace. Her tears spilled through the cotton of his shirt, but she didn't care, she didn't care at all. "Emma!" Will breathed, his voice so noticeably pained that it was worse than the cuts, worse than sticking the knives through her skin. "What can I do to help you, Emma? My god, my god…"

Emma rocked back and forth in his embrace, sobbing as she answered, "C-c-can I s-stay with you t-tonight?"

Tangling his fingers into her stunning red hair, pulling her close so that she wouldn't fall into some deep emotional hole, he answered softly, "Of course you can. Whatever you need, darling."

Emma curled into a ball on Will's chocolate-brown leather couch, hugging herself with the internal fear that if she let go, she'd fall apart. Shatter and break and vanish. Smoothing her hair gently, Will asked, "Is this all you've done since it happened?" She nodded, and when she didn't offer a verbal reply, Will asked, gently, his voice soft, "You need to talk about it, honey. You need to get tested…what if you're pregnant?" He offered the last question gently, knowing how much it must be hurting her.

"I don't w-w-want to be pregnant….I don't w-want to talk about it," she whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek.

Will kissed her, gently, on her hair. He didn't want to scare her by kissing her lips, down between her breasts…but this was about her hurting, not about him being horny. "Sweetie, just…please, you need to tell me. I need to be able to help you, but I can't if you won't talk to me."

Relenting, Emma whimpered, prompting Will to hold her. Tears streaming heavily down her face, she whispered, chokingly, "I-I-I w-was i-in m-my c-c-car…I r-ran into m-my office t-to g-g-get my b-b-bag. T-there was someone standing b-b-by my office…c-c-could h-have b-been a, a s-student. T-t-teacher…I d-d-don't know. But he…h-he p-pulled the d-d-door shut a-and l-locked it."

The waterworks were fully engaged now, and Will could only hold her hand, trying not to cry himself. Making her go through this again…even though he knew that it was the right thing to do, it still felt as though he was raping her again. "It's alright, Em. It's just me. I've got you now, darling. I'll do anything for you, to fix this, I promise," he whispered gently as she sucked in a breath.

Her voice hardening with rage as yet another facet of her unimaginable hurt, she continued, "H-h-he c-covered my face w-with my s-sweater a-a-and then he r-ripped my s-shirt and un-c-clasped my bra…he p-pulled off my skirt and then he _raped_ me."

The question on Will's tongue, the answer imperative if they were to be together, was almost so awkward that it made him blush to just think of thinking it. "Did he…you know…?"

"Y-y-yes."

Gulping, will asked again, "Did he use a condom?"

"N-n-no."

"You're on the pill, right?"

Now it was Emma's turn to blush bright red, redder even than tears had made her. "Sometimes the medication reacts horribly with my anxiety meds…I c-c-certainly h-hope that I t-took it." She shook violently in Will's arms, and he planted sweet kisses along her jawline to soothe her.

"Honey. Sweetie…Emma. You're going to have to get tested by a doctor for pregnancy and any disease you might've picked up."

Softly, her tears having subsided to dry heaves and then silent, sporadic tears, Emma replied, "I don't w-want to be p-pregnant…"

Cradling her, rocking back and forth as though she were an infant he was trying to lull to sleep, Will whispered, "I will come with you to every doctor's office and I will hold your hand and I will love you, I promise, Em."

Even though the concept of being touched by a man terrified her now, she managed a kiss back. "Thank you."


	4. Find Me Somebody To Love

**A/N:** Thank you all so much for your support! Gahh it means so much to me. Let me know what you guys want to see: I have an idea of how the story will go but I'm completely stuck on "who did it," so if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

It also seems that I hadn't given all of the credit for Glee to Fox and Ryan Murphy, but that's where it goes. Because if I owned it, some different music would deffinitely have been implemented!

* * *

Reclining on a plastic chair, Emma nervously drummed her fingers against her stomach, looking towards Will for comfort. "You'll be fine, sweetheart," he said quietly, a smile on his face that made Emma relax into the chair. It had taken so much prodding and coaxing on Will's part to even get her into the clinic, Emma having sought fear of germs and fear of what may be inevitable as her reasons for not wanting to go. He'd had to promise to be in the room with her, no matter what, for her to even give the idea the proper time of day.

The ultrasound technician walked in, wearing a paper smock covered in cartoon pictures of bunnies. Emma smiled in spite of herself, feeling more at ease as the young woman began to speak. "Hi, Emma! My name is Cara Landon, and I'm going to be administering your ultrasound today. Your doctor told me about you OCD and mysophobia, so we're going to try to work with you on that, Emma. Now, if you could do me a favor and just lift up your shirt, I can get this over with sooner."

The smile on the light-brunette-haired technician made Emma relax, gripping Will's hand for support. However, as soon as she saw the clear gel, she began to breathe heavily, her heart starting to palpitate. "Emma, honey, there isn't another way to do this. It's a sterile gel. You'll be fine, sweetheart." Emma tried to relax her heart and got it down slightly, thinking how lucky she was to have Will at her side.

Cara moved the wand around Emma's stomach, coated with the gel, and exclaimed suddenly, "Emma, dear, you're having a baby!"

Emma froze, staring at Will, who was also frozen. Tears began welling in her enormous eyes, and she whispered to Will, "But I don't want to have a baby." There was no stutter in her voice, because there was no sadness anywhere within her. Nothing but a sense of emptiness and a burning desire to find a knife or a pin or something. Anything.

Breaking the silence, Will whispered back, "I told you I'd be there for you, Emma, and I meant it. Imagine…think of me like I'm the father. You'll get through this, Emma. _We'll_ get through this."

Gently, Cara asked Emma, "Do you want a picture of your baby?" Emma's eyes were wide with fear, her heart palpitating wildly. Her breath came in ragged gasps that not even Will's hand on her arm could quell.

"I don't think that we're…Emma's…quite up for this now, but thank you for the offer," Will replied quietly. Lifting Emma to her feet and wrapping an arm around her, Will quietly thanked Cara for Emma. "I know that this…Emma just didn't want this…thank you for your understanding, Cara. It means a lot."

Cara smiled, gently, and squeezed Emma's hand. "You're going to be alright, dear."

As soon as the car started, the skies opened up on Will and Emma. Which was fitting because, when the skies opened up, so did Emma. And not in the way that Will would have preferred. "W-w-what are we going to do now, Will? You don't h-have to stay a-round for this…I u-understand."

Facing her, he said sincerely, "I'm not leaving you, Emma. This…of course, this is going to be tough, but you're going to have a beautiful baby to show for all of the heartache you've been through. I'll support you, whatever your choice, be it to keep the baby, abort the pregnancy, or put the baby up for adoption."

At the word 'abort,' Emma's eyes widened beyond what Will had previously thought possible. "They stick a vacuum thing up your…you know…and then they suck the embryo out. I may not want the baby, but I don't want to kill it!" She paused, waiting for the full effect of her words to sink in. "Anyway," she continued, "I'd s-sooner cut my uterus out myself. With a sterile knife."

Not catching the proposed humor in her last comment, Will asked her, "Do you want children someday, Em?"

Caught off-guard, Emma stammered, "W-well, yes, but…n-not now. N-not by my r-r-rapist."

Grinning at her, he replied smoothly, "Then don't cut your own womb out."

Emma tried to force a smile, but failed miserably. "Will, w-what am I going to d-do? I-I'm h-having a b-b-baby…Will. I c-c-can't do this." Her voice became angrier for a moment, as though lamenting the unfairness of it all. "I shouldn't h-have to do this!"

Pulling her head into the crook of his neck, Will whispered softly, "I told you, Emma. I'm not leaving you. Would it make it better if I claimed ownership of your bump, when it finally starts to show?"

Smiling softly, Emma replied, "Would you really?"

"Yeah, I would, really." Will kissed the top of Emma's head gently, triggering something like champagne pouring down her spine. She took her free hand in hers, feeling the strength of his fingertips that came from years of piano playing, and the rough calloused fingertips that pressed into her pale skin, skin soft from years of antibacterial gels. She found that if she focused on her hand intertwined with his, she could breathe, see straight. She could do and get through, baby or not.


	5. I Will Hold You All Night

**A/N:** Thanks to all of my reviewers, it means so much that you guys are interested! If anyone has any ideas on the "who did it?" portion of Emma's ordeal, please feel free to give me your feedback, as I'm still undecided on that. This chapter is kind of fluffy, but I thought that it was sweet. Maybe necessary, too, but still very fluffy.

* * *

Emma's eyes were closed as she stretched out on Will's couch, her body curled up so that her knees and the gentle curve of her waist made an elegant hollow, suitable for a lover – or a child – to nestle into. Opening one eye slightly, she saw Will sitting perpendicularly to her, channel surfing on his flat-screen television.

"Will," Emma asked quietly, "What time is it?" She strained her eyes to see the clock on the wall, but couldn't make out anything.

Checking his watch, Will replied, "It's eleven thirty on Friday evening. Stay up as late as you want, Em." He offered the last part softly, as though telling her that she needed to just enjoy herself.

Stifling a yawn, Emma asked, "Where am I staying?"

"Take the bed, I'll sleep on the couch," Will offered generously, cocking his head in the direction of the bedroom.

Her honey-colored eyes widened at the thought of sleeping alone. Just her and her baby in a foreign place, a place that she hadn't disinfected and cleaned and a place that would undoubtedly smell like Will, but that would be empty. It just didn't seem like it would send her to sleep any sooner than a large cup of coffee would. "W-W-Will….will you sleep with me? Please?" Her voice came out more like a whimper than she had intended, somewhat befitting of her state of mind.

His eyes widening, Will asked slowly…"Do you mean, like, have sex with you or just sleep next to you?"

Blushing, the redhead replied, "S-sleep next to me. I ca…I can't do t-that, n-not now."

Taking her hand, Will pulled her to her feet. He couldn't believe that even after the news she'd received earlier, she had managed to keep herself together as well as she had. He'd been expecting a full-on meltdown, and had only seen her close up slightly. Which was fine, as long as she wasn't broken in two. "Come on, then. Did you bring pajamas?"

Shaking her head, an embarrassed blush flaming in her cheeks, Emma whispered, "I...no."

Grinning, Will replied, "You can wear a tee shirt and a pair of my sweatpants, then."

Emma smiled. "Thanks, Will. Thanks for letting me have your bed, for giving me clothes, and for sleeping in the same bed as me."

"It's nothing, really," Will replied, turning off the television and guiding her to the bedroom. He turned against the wall, leaning his head against the creamy light brown paint, giving his guest a bit of privacy while she changed.

Piping up, Emma said quietly, "Will, you can look now."

Will spun around, smiling as he looked at her. "You're beautiful, you know," he whispered, coming up to her and kissing her hair.

Her eyelids fluttering, Emma replied softly, "And thank you for c-coming with me today…I c-couldn't have done it without you."

Will woke up in the middle of the night, suddenly desperately needing a glass of water. He tried to slide easily out of bed, without waking Emma, but her arm was wrapped around him, and he couldn't move without jerking her awake. Her eyes blinking, she asked quietly, "W-what are you doing?" her words slurring with exhaustion.

"I'm just getting a drink. Do you need anything?" She shook her head, and he stood at the sink, gulping down a glass of water and feeling his Adam's apple bobbing up and down his throat. He crawled wearily back to bed, his eyes adjusted enough to make out a pattern of darkness on her arms and chests.

From having gone back to sleep, the tee shirt that Emma had been wearing had been nudged up, and he could see that the pattern continued, unbroken, to a point, on her stomach. He nudged Emma awake gently, shaking her shoulder until she sleepily whimpered, "W-what is it?"

"What happened to your arm? Your chest? Your stomach?" Will asked gently, turning on the lamp that sat at his bedside. Both squinted as the light permeated the night, but after allowing his eyes time to adjust, he gently fingered what he could definitively say were scars. Scars which seemed to be fairly new. "Emma, what's wrong?"

She stared at him, tears welling in her enormous eyes. "What's gone wrong?" she countered quietly, her voice laden with tears that only she knew about. "I'm pregnant, Will. I was raped. I know it's s-s-stupid, b-but I n-needed -" She broke off suddenly, a sob escaping her chest. Will nursed her gently into his arms, whispering sweet nothings into her ear before she could continue. "S-s-somehow, it was e-easier. I g-g-get what the k-kids are s-saying about it n-now."

"About what?" Will asked her, cradling her face in his hands.

Sobbing, Emma admitted, "C-c-cutting. I've b-been cutting, W-Will. C-c-couldn't d-drink b-because I didn't w-want to be h-hung over at s-school."

Rocking back and forth with her now, Will looked at her, his eyes trying desperately to show the sympathy he felt. "I can't condone that, Em. But I love you, and I will get you through whatever you need, however you need." As though confirming his conviction, he leaned down, kissing every scar and wound he could find on her perfect body, and admiring her body as she squirmed, not sure how to handle the attention being paid to her.

"W-W-Will," she gasped finally, her voice cracking as she added, "D-d-don't!" His lips had reached the swell of her breast, where a deep gouge was begging to be kissed and made better. But for the woman he loved, he held back, instead kissing the top of her copper hair, glowing a faint silvery gold in the moonlight.

"I will make it better, Em," he promised her quietly, trying to ease her state of near sleepless, dreamless grief. He took her hand in his, as though to warm it, feeling her pulse, and fell asleep timing his breathing to her hearbeat.


	6. Everybody Hurts Sometimes

**A/N: Thank you so much to my reviewers, it means a lot! Especially gleefan26, for their creative ideas for 'whodunnit.' All of your feedback means a lot to me!**

* * *

Will woke up in the middle of the night, suddenly desperately needing a glass of water. He tried to slide easily out of bed, without waking Emma, but her arm was wrapped around him, and he couldn't move without jerking her awake. Blinking, she asked quietly, "W-what are you doing?" her words slurring with exhaustion.

"I'm just getting a drink. Do you need anything?" She shook her head, and he stood at the sink, gulping down a glass of water and feeling his Adam's apple bobbing up and down his throat. He crawled wearily back to bed, his eyes adjusted enough in the starlight and moonlight which flooded his bedroom to make out a pattern of darkness on her arms and chests.

From having gone back to sleep, the tee shirt that Emma had been wearing had been nudged up, and he could see that the pattern continued, unbroken, to a point, on her stomach. He nudged Emma awake gently, shaking her shoulder until she sleepily whimpered, "W-what is it?"

"What happened to your arm? Your chest? Your stomach?" Will asked gently, turning on the lamp that sat at his bedside. Both squinted as the light permeated the night, but after allowing his eyes time to adjust, he gently fingered what he could definitively say were scars. Scars which seemed to be fairly new. "Emma, what's wrong?"

She stared at him, tears welling in her enormous eyes. "What's wrong?" she countered quietly, her voice laden with tears that only she knew about. "I'm pregnant, Will. I was raped. I know it's s-s-stupid, b-but I n-needed -" She broke off suddenly, a sob escaping her chest. Will nursed her gently into his arms, whispering sweet nothings into her ear before she could continue. "S-s-somehow, it was e-easier. I g-g-get what the k-kids are s-saying about it n-now."

"About what?" Will asked her, cradling her face in his hands.

Sobbing, Emma admitted, "C-c-cutting. I've b-been cutting, W-Will. C-c-couldn't d-drink b-because I didn't w-want to be h-hung over at s-school."

Rocking back and forth with her now, Will looked at her, his eyes trying desperately to show the sympathy he felt. "I can't condone that, Em. But I love you, and I will get you through whatever you need, however you need." As though confirming his conviction, he leaned down, kissing every scar and wound he could find on her perfect body, and admiring her body as she squirmed, not sure how to handle the attention being paid to her.

"W-W-Will," she gasped finally, her voice cracking as she added, "D-d-don't!" His lips had reached the swell of her breast, where a deep gouge was begging to be kissed and made better. But for the woman he loved, he held back, instead kissing the top of her copper hair, glowing a faint silvery gold in the moonlight.

"I will make it better, Em," he promised her quietly, trying to ease her state of near sleepless, dreamless grief. He took her hand in his, as though to warm it, feeling her pulse, the only thing about her other than her rhythmic breathing that let him know that, for all she'd been through, she was still living.

* * *

"Guys!" Will called the glee club together after school on Monday, his agenda for them weighing heavily on his mind. They all came over, taking seats and staring at him, waiting for their next song assignment. "Okay," he scratched out, clearing his voice, "We've got a special project for this week."

About half of the kids, led by Rachel Berry, grinned and looked around positively, while the other half still looked neutral bordering on skeptical. "What's the assignment, Mr. Schue?" Finn asked from his seat next to Rachel, who nodded in excitement.

Clearing his throat again, he asked, "You guys all remember how, when Quinn was pregnant, we sang 'Keep Holding On' to her to let her know that we were there for her, and that we wouldn't turn on her when things got tough?" Heads nodded, even Quinn's, though her cheeks had taken on a faint blush at the not-so-distant memory.

"Well," he continued, "we've got another special situation like that again." He stopped, waiting for someone to ask who, or what, because he had a feeling that it would be hard to admit his real goal.

Not raising his hand to speak, Artie piped up, "So who's the unlucky – well, who's the chick in need of our help this time?"

Turning his hand over and over itself in the air, Will whispered quietly, more of a breathy mumble, "Emma." Then, looking around at his class, he said more confidently, "Ms. Pillsbury."

A collective smile and cheer went around the room, which twisted Will's arm to a point of near breaking. "So, Mr. Schue, are we getting Schue babies courtesy of Ms. P?" Puck asked nonchalantly, drumming his fingers on his desk.

Using his arms to quiet them, he said gently, "Guys, guys, guys! She wasn't…they're not…Guys, she was raped a couple of weeks ago."

Silence spilled around the room in a sharp wave, and even Quinn looked somewhat shocked at hearing the news again. It seemed to confirm the horrible lot that Emma had been dealt, and it hurt her just a little bit too, to know that her saving grace during her own pregnancy was hurting so badly. Continuing, Will said slowly, "I went with her to the doctor on Friday, and they confirmed that she is indeed pregnant."

"My God." Rachel was the first person to speak up, "That...that's horrible."

Mercedes spoke up now. "So, what are we gonna sing for her, Mr. Schue?"

Looking around the room, Will replied, "I want you to figure that out."

It had taken a fair amount of persuasion to get Emma into the Glee club room for anything. She'd withdrawn quite a bit, and didn't seem to be up for a private concert, even one by her favorite show choir. Will had been prepared to come right out and tell her about what he and the kids had come up with, but she had softly said, after the fiftieth time of him imploring her to come, "Well…maybe the music will do something good for me."

He held her hand, trying to warm it's coldness as he led her to the choir room, where the kids were all assembled, with an accompanist, and ready to perform. "Ms. Pillsbury…we wanted your opinion on our new song…" Rachel said assuredly, looking at her peers, who all nodded their approval.

They started singing "Everybody Hurts," by REM, because it seemed like something that she'd be able to relate to better. A simple message, clearly and feelingly sung…they didn't know what else they could give her. Rachel started the song, with a full back up behind her, before switching off with Kurt, and then Quinn, and Finn, around the Glee club until Mercedes got on the riff at the end, and practically blew the doors off the place.

Finally, the music ceased, and Emma sat in her seat, tears streaming down her face with her right hand splayed out smartly over her stomach, which was just beginning to show. The most visible signs of her pregnancy, now, were the snugness of her skirts and blouses around the bust and waist, which could easily had been attributed to a push-up bra and a few too many dinner dates.

"T-t-thank you!" she spluttered through the tears, allowing the club to encircle her with a hug. "I-i-t means s-s- much to m-m-me!"

Quinn nestled her chin on the crook of the older woman's shoulder, whispering in her ear, "We're all here for you, Ms. P. Anything you need, just say the word."

Emma looked at her, shocked by the offer. "What do you mean?" she asked, looking at Quinn with sensitive eyes.

"I'm restocking the karma bank, or just trying to thank everyone, and you're at the top of my list." The blonde ex-cheerleader hugged Emma before sinking back into the crowd of people all trying to say the same thing. It made her feel loved, and it made her feel appreciated, but somewhere deep inside, it also made her acutely aware that something was, by some definition, "wrong with her," and that scared her. She didn't want to be broken, she just wanted to be herself. And sadly, the only thing she wanted to be, she never would be again.


	7. There's A Fine, Fine Line

**A/N: I'm so sorry that I held you guys off for so long, but I had a severe bout of writer's block [and not just on this], and then we were packing to go away, and then I was in Florida for a week...but here it is, the crime and drama portion of this story. I hate to admit it, but once I started writing this, it came together in about fifteen minutes XD As always, thanks to my fantastic reviewers who manage to be full of ideas even when I'm out of them - your support means so much!**

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Emma shuffled her hands together, and it was after a moment of staring that he realized that there wasn't a drop of antibacterial gel on her hands. Maybe moisturizer; didn't all women use that? He opened his mouth to tell her how proud he was, but the look in her eyes told him to save his tongue.

"Will, I need to tell you something." She cast a glance down at the carpet, as though appraising non-existent stain.

Taking her hand in his and rubbing circles gently on the top of it, he replied gently, "Of course, Em. What is it?"

Inhaling deeply, she whispered, "I l-l-lied to you, Will. I-I-I'm s-so s-sorry."

Motioning for her to come closer, and watching her steadfastly resist, Will asked softly, his brow furrowing in confusion, "What? Emma, I don't…I don't understand."

Tears welling in her expansive and expressive eyes, Emma replied, "Will, what I told you…about t-the r-r-rape…I lied."

The pain that flew to Will's eyes, and the knowledge that she caused it, sent her to tears. Leading his tear-blinded girlfriend to the couch, Will asked her softly, "What do you mean? You didn't…no, I don't think…did you?"

Through her sobs, Emma managed a strangled reply. "No…No, no, no. Will, I could…I could never…I never slept with a-a-anyone else." Will pulled her head into his chest, trying to reassure both the redhead in his arms and himself that things weren't as bad as they seemed.

"Then what happened, Em? Please, you've got…you've got to tell me. I can only help you if I know what _really_ happened." He ran his fingers absently through her hair, waiting.

Inhaling deeply, the breath spluttering at the end, she replied softly, "W-w-when I told you…about it…I lied. I w-w-was honestly r-raped, b-b-but…I figured that it would be e-easier to understand. Or s-s-something. You know, w-we order pizza for lunch, I'm in my o-office, my turn to pay…the horny pizza guy takes a-advantage of the w-woman who doesn't know what to do. Or something like t-that."

Hugging her even tighter than he'd been before, Will whispered, "I knew…I knew that you weren't lying to me about being r…being raped. You couldn't, even if you wanted to. You are the most real, most sincere, most honest woman I have ever met." Her sobs beginning to subside, much to Will's relief, he continued, "But something about your story was a little unusual. But it's not like our lives are that usual anyway." Though his words were meant to be lighthearted, a certain gravity hung about his voice until he asked her quietly, "What did happen, then?"

The floodgates began again, and it was easily a few minutes before Emma was calmed down enough to explain. "I…I went to Carl's, to break up with him. Y-you were right, you know…dentist or not, what we had…it wasn't over. It still isn't. But anyway, I-I went to end it with him, and…and I g-g-guess he'd been drinking, a-and he wouldn't take no for an answer. W-when I t-t-tried to leave, he…he twisted my arm and started undressing me and then he started_ touching_ me and he raped me on the _fucking_ floor."

Will moved his hand towards Emma's clavicle and shoulders, where a myriad of burns and bruises danced across her pale skin. "Did he do that to you?"

"Y-y-yes. H-he poured hot wax o-on me…that w-was an accident, the c-candle fell off of the table. A-and then he s-s-said that he…he liked hearing me s-scream. So h-he started _hurting_ me. F-finally he stopped, a-and I ran o-out.. I took a shower and scrubbed myself raw and it didn't help." She whimpered as he touched an open wound on her forearm, but he said nothing about it.

Kissing her hair, savoring the smell of her vanilla perfume, Will asked her imploringly, "Why didn't you come to me?"

Her breath spilling out raggedly, her voice louder than intended as result of her pain, she exclaimed, "What did you want me to say? 'Will, I'm so madly in love with you t-that I broke up w-with my boyfriend and then he raped me. Wanna fuck?"

"You wouldn't have said that, Emma. Be realistic. If you came to me and told me what happened, I could have helped you. You could've taken the morning-after pill and we wouldn't have to scramble and think of how backwards our courtship is. Illegitimate baby, dating, and then wherever that leads. And honestly, Emma, if I thought that you were serious, and that you wanted it, I would've made love to you anywhere you wanted." His tone was slightly less sympathetic, as though he wanted her to see that he wasn't a monster to be afraid of.

Gasping with horror and anger, Emma fired back, "Oh, so this is my fault? I walked up to Carl and said 'I don't care how much I resist, you are going to fuck me right here, right now?' And furthermore, the prospect of using the morning-after pill didn't come up because I was too busy doing other things to think about that possibility. I tried to _kill_ myself, Will, a fact which you seem to be overlooking."

Will looked at her, the love in his gaze countered by his hurt for her. "When did you try suicide?" he asked gently, taking her hand in his and rubbing circles the back of its miraculously smooth surface.

A convulsion taking her, Emma replied quietly, "On Wednesday, t-things got pretty bad. I cut myself in the shower shaving, and…suddenly, bleeding of m-my own accord didn't seem so bad. I cut my arms, and made those two deep cuts on my arms because I wanted t-to die. Or I t-thought that I did."

"Emma...Emma, my God. It wasn't a matter of whether you should've come to me...Emma, you needed to. You could've died." He realized his poor choice of words a touch too late, but still. The woman he loved had almost bled out , and it was almost his fault, at least a little.

Snorting elegantly, Emma replied, "Imagine the headlines. 'Mysophobic guidance counselor raped, in catatonic state later attempts suicide.' I was ashamed of myself, Will. Ashamed that I'd had my virginity and everything else taken from me, and ashamed that I tried to kill myself. I thought that you'd be upset with me, quite honestly."

Will pressed his lips against every scratch and mark on her body, as though confirming his conviction. "Emma, Emma, darling," he whispered, coming down to the deep wounds on her wrists. "I'm upset with what happened to you, but it has nothing to do with you." Returning his fingertips gently to her arms, he whispered, "Emma, how did this happen?"

Her tone softening as she prepared to explain the inevitable, Emma replied in a choked whisper, "I wasn't feeling anything. Nothing at all. It was like…l-like it never happened. But it did, it _did_. It made me feel so real, seeing the blood, everything. I cut here, and here, and here," she murmured, motioning to her arms, chest, and stomach, respectively.

"Why?" Will's voice was soft with shock, and Emma could hear understanding trying to creep in. But the truth was, he didn't understand, and she couldn't make him.

Her eyes clearing of tears, she whispered, "Because it let me feel something. Anything. And the cutting and then cleaning and dressing the wounds gave me something to think about other than my sorry state."

Winding his fingers through her silky hair, Will whispered to her, "What sorry state? Emma Pillsbury, I love you, scars and all, and I will try to make this right. I love you, and if that isn't enough, I don't know what else I can give to you. I'd already give you the world." He kissed her head again, feeling her fall asleep in his lap.

Knowing that she was presumably safe inside her sleep gave Will the peace of mind to nod off himself. He would've sung her a lullaby, if he'd been able to keep his eyes open long enough to think of a song good enough to sing to her.


End file.
